Today, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced several Department of Justice actions to reduce violent crime in the United States. Foremost of those actions is the reinvigoration of "Project Safe Neighborhoods," a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. According to the FBI, violent crime rates, including homicides, have risen the past two years. "As a former Project Safe Neighborhoods and Violent Crime Coordinator, I am pleased by the Attorney General’s commitment to reducing violent crime, an endeavor all Oklahomans can embrace," said Mark A. Yancey, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.

In announcing this recommitment to Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Attorney General issued a memo directing United States Attorneys to implement an enhanced violent crime reduction program that incorporates the lessons learned since Project Safe Neighborhoods launched in 2001.

In a statement on the program, the Attorney General said, in part:

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"We cannot be complacent or hope that [a rising violent crime rate] is just an anomaly: we have a duty to take action."

"Fortunately, we have a President who understands that and has directed his administration to reduce crime. The Department of Justice today announces the foundation of our plan to reduce crime: prioritizing Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that has been proven to work.

"Let me be clear – Project Safe Neighborhoods is not just one policy idea among many. This is the centerpiece of our crime reduction strategy.

"Taking what we have learned since the program began in 2001, we have updated it and enhanced it, emphasizing the role of our U.S. Attorneys, the promise of new technologies, and above all, partnership with local communities. With these changes, I believe that this program will be more effective than ever and help us fulfill our mission to make America safer."